Add support for Definition Lists

Please add support for Definition Lists. Looks like there’s a Markdown-it parser plugin available, markdown-it-deflist. Example:

Term 1

:   Definition 1

Term 2 with *inline markup*

:   Definition 2

        { some code, part of Definition 2 }

    Third paragraph of definition 2.
128 Likes

I would love to see this feature added! It shouldn’t be very hard to do.

1 Like

A definition list would help to structure information in a standardized QA style. I often use lists with indentation to do this now:

  • How does it work?
    • It works like this

A definition list would be much better.

3 Likes

How is markdown support in different flavours?

From a Stackexchange thread (x = yes, - = no):

  • [x] Maruku
  • [x] kramdown
  • [x]MultiMarkdown
  • [x] Pandoc
  • [-] Github
  • [-] Gitlab

Also see

1 Like

Is it possible to add support for these lists, similar to https://www.markdownguide.org/extended-syntax/#definition-lists

First Term
: This is the definition of the first term.

Second Term
: This is one definition of the second term.
: This is another definition of the second term.

Thanks!

8 Likes

in my books i use often the definition lists, should be really nice to have them rendered somehow here, yes

4 Likes

I would like see support for definition lists, too.

3 Likes

I’d like to have this supported as well, I’d use it a lot

4 Likes

As a workaround you can embed HTML directly into the Markdown.

This works and renders correctly in the middle of a Markdown note in Obsidian:

<dl>
	<dt>term 1</dt>
	<dd>definition 1</dd>
	<dt>term 2</dt>
	<dd>definition 2</dd>
</dl>
10 Likes

Yes, this does work in the meantime.

However, I hope you add the true markdown version, since it’s easier to write (as all markdown syntax) and looks cleaner in edit mode.

But thank you very much for the suggestion, I’ll be sure to use it while the markdown version is not available!

4 Likes

I also support this notion

2 Likes

To expand upon @maartin 's list, here is a list of many of the common implementations to have extended Markdown to include Definition Lists, with a link to their docs

Even though W3C decided to change their name to Term-Description Groups in HTML5, Definition Lists are a commonly used extension. The discussion on CommonMark above has been looking at implementing this since 2014, and they are only holding back in case some implementations find the ‘back-tracking’ hard to implement. GitLab are looking at it already, and once CommonMark adopts it the people like Github who follow CommonMark will do the same, so it’s only a matter of time.

It would be great to add Obsidian to the list of software that supports it - is the feature already available in any of the parsing libraries Obsidian uses?

15 Likes

+1

I would find definitions useful too.

2 Likes

Also here for this! +1

2 Likes

Even though this feature request is a year old already, I still hope it will be implemented at some point too!

4 Likes

It’s important for typing experience.

2 Likes

+1

This is needed for FAQs, all kinds of technical documentation, etc. At least 10% of all documents I write will have a need for it, sooner or later.

4 Likes

I use definition lists a lot and it would be really nice to see them supported here. Thanks!

3 Likes

Adding my vote for this too!

2 Likes